National Art Museum of Sport marks 50th year with ‘landmarks’ exhibit
National Art Museum of Sport marks 50th year with ‘landmarks’ exhibit
|
New additions to the collection during its anniversary year are featured as well as “landmarks” that trace NAMOS’ history from its first exhibit in New York in 1962 of loaned work to its first gallery that opened in 1968 in New York’s Madison Square Garden, from a move to the University of New Haven (Conn.) in 1979 to arrival in Indianapolis in 1990 and on to University Place in 1994. NAMOS was founded in New York City by the late Germain G. Glidden, a portrait artist and champion squash player. Anniversary year gifts include a watercolor of swimmer Michael Phelps by James Fiorentino; sculpture groupings of polo, football and basketball by the late George Gach, and a carved mahogany sculpture by Benjamin Blackburn of Oscar Robertson whose basketball career started in the neighborhood of University Place.
|
"Oscar Robertson" by Benjamin Blackburn |
  |
"Two Polo Players" by George Gach "Michael Phelps" by James Fiorentino |
The Rise of Sport in America –19th Century Engravings
From its collection of over 100 engravings from 19th century publications, NAMOS has chosen 24 for exhibit to illustrate the era’s dramatic growth of sports in America.
Both traditional activities brought by colonists to their new land and ones made possible by inventions such as the bicycle filled the new found leisure hours of the growing middle class. Improved communications and transportation played key roles in the developing sports culture – the telegraph spread word of wins and heroes, and trains transported teams between cities for competition. Another factor was codifying rules for games and competitions which spread from English schools to the New World.
Baseball, a sport that is historically and exclusively American, became popular theater in the19th century, complete with the drama of good and bad games, myths, and heroes. Growing economic prosperity, coupled with the support of important public figures, meant that there was capital to invest in sports facilities, which soon became a symbol of a civilized area.
The great number of colleges and universities in the United States contributed to the rise of sports with intercollegiate rivalries on the gridiron, diamond, track and water. Political and moral forces thought that sports in schools built character and helped develop future leaders. Amateur athletes became as popular as professionals,
Poems about National Art Museum of Sport art matched with paintings in Sporting Words
Poems written by eight Central Indiana poets who were inspired by paintings in the National Art Museum of Sport (NAMOS) are now on exhibit with the art.
The long-term exhibit is a follow-up to the Third National Gathering of Poets Laureate in June 2007, organized by Indiana’s 2002-2007 poet laureate, Joyce Brinkman, with the theme of “Sporting Words.”
Participating poets and the paintings that inspired them:
Joyce Brinkman, Indianapolis – Frank V. Smith’s “Mallards Coming In”
Ruthelen Burns, Carmel – Fay Moore’s “Ed Hahn in Action” (Squash)
Phoenix Cole, Indianapolis – Donald Moss’s “Arthur Ashe”
Barry Harris, Zionsville – Douglas Daniel’s “Larry Bird: Indiana Legend”
Joe Heithaus, Greencastle – Mervin Honig’s “Usher at Shea Stadium, Queens”
JL Kato, Indianapolis – Peter Helck’s “ Brighton 24-Hour Race 1909”
James Murdock, Greentown – Germain G. Glidden’s “Study for Self-Portrait” (Squash)
Michael Strosahl, Elwood – Tom Hill’s “Ecce Homo” (Boxing)
The Indiana Arts Commission hosted the poets laureate’s “Sporting Words” conference with the help of grants from the Efroymson Fund, a Central Indiana Community Fund, Lilly Endowment Inc., Cinergy Foundation, and other organizations and individuals.
|
"Larry Bird" by Doug Daniel |
Growing the Legend -Barry Harris Shooting five hundred A yellow-tasseled The legend knows
|
